Saturday, March 31, 2007
No information on contractors kidnapped four months ago
Security
(International Herald Tribune) - Friends and family of six private security contractors kidnapped in Iraq more than four months ago are frustrated over the lack of information from the U.S. government — and one friend has left for the Middle East to try to contact the kidnappers. The five Americans and one Austrian were kidnapped Nov. 16 in southern Iraq when their truck convoy was ambushed.
Mark Koscilski, a friend of kidnapped American contractor Paul Johnson Reuben, left the United States on Thursday for Kuwait, where he hopes to contact the kidnappers and begin negotiations to free the five, said Sharon DeBrabander, the mother of kidnapped American John Roy Young, 44. "I believe he's going to try to get on one of their news channels where all the Iraqi people can see it, so we can see if someone might have some information or know where they might be," DeBrabander said.
DeBrabander said her family has been given almost no information from government agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. State Department, and Young's employer, Crescent Security Group Inc. "We don't know if they're alive or dead," DeBrabander said. Videos of the hostages were released in December — the last update the family has received. Young appeared to have lost about 25 pounds (11.3 kilograms) and "looked like crap," said his son, John Robert Young.
A State Department spokeswoman said Thursday she could not provide any information on the hostages.
"The office of Overseas Citizens Services routinely works with families of kidnapping victims to provide information and assistance," spokeswoman Janelle Hironimus said. "I've been real quiet before, but now I'm mad," DeBrabander said. "I want more answers than what we've been getting."
Mark Koscilski, a friend of kidnapped American contractor Paul Johnson Reuben, left the United States on Thursday for Kuwait, where he hopes to contact the kidnappers and begin negotiations to free the five, said Sharon DeBrabander, the mother of kidnapped American John Roy Young, 44. "I believe he's going to try to get on one of their news channels where all the Iraqi people can see it, so we can see if someone might have some information or know where they might be," DeBrabander said.
DeBrabander said her family has been given almost no information from government agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. State Department, and Young's employer, Crescent Security Group Inc. "We don't know if they're alive or dead," DeBrabander said. Videos of the hostages were released in December — the last update the family has received. Young appeared to have lost about 25 pounds (11.3 kilograms) and "looked like crap," said his son, John Robert Young.
A State Department spokeswoman said Thursday she could not provide any information on the hostages.
"The office of Overseas Citizens Services routinely works with families of kidnapping victims to provide information and assistance," spokeswoman Janelle Hironimus said. "I've been real quiet before, but now I'm mad," DeBrabander said. "I want more answers than what we've been getting."
Labels: abduction, Austria, Crescent Security Group Inc., John Roy Young, Paul Johnson Reuben, private security contractors, U.S.
